Ryan Hall over Meb Keflezighi in poll for Boston win- is a JOKE

VIPAM wrote:

38% to like 19% I guess you'll cheer against the AFRICAN American as long as there is a caucasin/American in the poll.

Silly boy. That you'd suggest such a possibility grossly undermines pretty much every thing you've ever had to say on this board.

I picked Meb because he won the Silver Medal in the Athens Olympics and won the NYC Marathon recently -- two big stages, two awesome performances. Hall has a faster PR and is a great runner, but I FEEL Meb will beat him in Boston, another big stage.

As to your comment about the poll and perceived racism, surely there's some of that here. Hopefully, not a lot. There's probably some I'm-cheering-for-the-guy-that-looks-like-me-and-with-whom-I-identify-more here also. Not quite racism, just human nature. OK, enough on that.

Seeing as that Meb won NYC recently one might think that persons responding to the poll would choose him over Hall. However, one poster made a good point, back-to-back wins on big stages is very hard. But, I'll pick a healthy Meb to do this. And will be cheering for great running from all of the runners, a little more for the Americans, and cheering a little more for Meb because ... he's a Bruin, married, a parent, his brother/agent is cool people, and Meb's in his 30's. Not quite racism, just human nature.

scotth wrote:

That you'd suggest such a possibility grossly undermines pretty much every thing you've ever had to say on this board.

I wouldn't go that far. Over the years, VIPAM has done a good job highlighting the achievements of a number of excellent African runners who might otherwise have gone unnoticed or underreported in this forum. He was also ahead of most reporters in identifying K. Bekele as the dominant distance runner of his generation. I've found most of his posts to be thoughtful and informative. But I think that he sometimes goes too far in identifying racism as the basis for certain comments or points of view. Once, when he responded indignantly to one of my posts, I was very upset, thinking that I perhaps had said something terribly inappropriate. Now, I'm inclined to think that it was just his own problem.

I think that Meb is the most accomplished American marathoner since Khalid Khannouchi. I also think that both Meb and KK would have been more widely embraced and marketable in the U.S. if they had looked, talked, and grown up like Ryan Hall. So VIPAM and I probably have quite a bit of common ground upon which we can agree. But I'm not about to slam people as racists just because they may think that Hall has a better chance to win Boston than Meb does.

Hall is due to rebound after a disappointing race in NYC. He ran well in Boston last year. Seems like a logical pick to win.

Let's be honest, shall we.

A vast majority (nearing 100%) of white fans will root for the white runner, even Jesus crazed madman like Ryan Hall.

And like most gamblers, will bet with their hearts not their brains.

Avocados Number wrote:

I wouldn't go that far. Over the years, VIPAM has done a good job highlighting the achievements of a number of excellent African runners who might otherwise have gone unnoticed or underreported in this forum. He was also ahead of most reporters in identifying K. Bekele as the dominant distance runner of his generation. I've found most of his posts to be thoughtful and informative. But I think that he sometimes goes too far in identifying racism as the basis for certain comments or points of view. Once, when he responded indignantly to one of my posts, I was very upset, thinking that I perhaps had said something terribly inappropriate. Now, I'm inclined to think that it was just his own problem.

My friend, on this point we'll have to disagree. VIPAM's grasping for the race card w/nothing to base it on other than conjecture, is offensive & capricious.

As per his other contributions to LR - for the most part, he cites the obvious. He does a reasonable job of putting together stats but these can be gleaned from other sources including David Monti's RRW. Want to see how dominant the E Africans are, try also:

. The staggering depth of the lithe men & women from Ethiopia & Kenya is well known and spelled out in various web sites. If I recall, Meb's 2:09 doesn't even make the top 50 times for '09.

African topics I'd be more interested in hearing about from VIPAM are athletes like Caster Semenyea & Oscar Pistorius. There, he can't lean on stats and make a case for something that typically speaks for itself.

I agree with this statement. If you picked who would you WANT to win, I suspect meb would be higher. I want him to win, though I would also be happy to see hall win, because I am a meb fan. But I think that hall is due a good race and its really difficult for someone to put together the perfect race twice in a row. So I voted for hall.I think that the boy who cried wolf is a well known story. These kind of comments detract from the real racisms that actually exists out there.

Really, wow, grow up. Just because someone is picking Hall over Meb does not mean that it's a racist issue nor does it mean that everyone prefers a white american over an african american. give me a break you piece of sh*t.

I picked Meb bcs. of how he's been performing and bcs. Hall is struggling. i didn't pick Meb bcs. i felt sorry for him being an african and no one picking him. i picked Meb bcs. i feel like he's got a shot bcs. of his performance at NYC and bcs. i feel like he's on top of his game. but i know some morons like this dumb f*ck VIPAM wants race involved.

you don't see people going around picking Lagat over Webb in the mile or Lagat over some other white guy bcs. they feel bad for him being an african. obviously Lagat owns Webb and has brought america so much more success than Webb would have or anyone else.

overall i hope both Hall and Meb are on the podium, i dont give a sh*t which one is 1,2, or 3, as long as we can bring an american dominance into this race and most importantly WIN our country's marathon.

10/10

People just like like Hall. They really want to see Hall crush Meb!

"I guess you'll cheer against the AFRICAN American as long as there is a caucasin/American in the poll. "

Last time I looked at the results, all these racist white boys had "other" winning the race. Unless a whole lot of delusional Hanson fans think Sell is going to come out of nowhere for the win, I'm assuming "other" means an African runner. So it seems a lot of racists are putting stock in a yet-to-be-determined African to win it all in Beantown. Those crazy racists, what will they do next? Vote in a black President?

scotth wrote:

As per his other contributions to LR - for the most part, he cites the obvious. He does a reasonable job of putting together stats but these can be gleaned from other sources including David Monti's RRW. .

Hey, let's give credit where credit is due: Vipam DID predict Bekele's dominance before a vast majority of people. You blew that one off. Did David Monti predict it as early as Vipam? No.

(however, in that very same initial post of that famous thread, Vipam also said that El G would not be capable of beating Bekele at 5k. D'oh! Can't win 'em all!)

I also predicted WAY ahead of time:

When Felix Sanchez would lose when he was dominate in 400H

The next 2 women to run sub 30 min 10000m over a year ahead of time when most thought I was crazy. One hadn't run a 10000m ever and the second had only one under her belt as a junior

In 2009 Americans would improve drastically in distance OVERALL and not just 3-4 indiviudals

Vivian Cherioyut could beat Meseret Defar and would always be a threat for victory- when Meseret and Tirunesh was on a tear over 5000m only losing to each other

BUT I have had my share of misses

El Guerrouj did beat Kenenisa Bekele in the 5000m

Regina Jacobs wasn't clean

to say this board doesn't have racism when there have been so many posts drenched with it, maybe I'm wrong but there are others who say the same thing

VIPAM wrote:

Even if Ryan Hall does happen to create a miracle and beat Meb Keflezighi in Boston 2010 its still a joke for so many posters to pick him over Meb. 38% to like 19% I guess you'll cheer against the AFRICAN American as long as there is a caucasin/American in the poll. Yes its possible for Hall to beat Meb but for so many to beat against Meb after his NYC win and other marathon accomplishment isn't sound logic!!!!!!!!!!

Hall is younger and has potential for faster times.

The biggest racist is Vipam. He was so relieved that Meb managed to beat Hall in NY. He's been agitated since two white guys from the US from the US slipped under 13 in the 5k he needed something to ease his nerves. But that's ok, it's only white people that can be racist in any form. Vipam can chew on his collection of soiled jocks from Ethiopian runners and exclusively root for them, and other African descended runners, because of their hue. But someone who picks or roots for a horse of different color is a racist. He's truly a mini-mind and perfect example of how today's bolshevik leaders have brainwashed the masses. What a puke.

Hall is on the upswing. Him beating Meb would hardly be a miracle. The miracle was Meb winning NY. I'll bet Vipam was rubbing it out for days over a picture of Meb at the finish line. Meb is probably on his way out in another 12 - 18 months. No further improvement on the horizon at his age.

Vipam was and always will be a hypocrite. That's as far as I'll go. All of the others over the years who've posted about his bizarre sexual proclivities involving African American men have probably gone too far in your criticisms of this knucklehead.

For Vipam to remark about this board dripping with racism is hilarious since it's well known he's the biggest racist here. Bar none.

As for his predictions about the obvious, he's a nothing. Picking KB in the Oly 10 and the like is not exactly taking a risk. He's had dozens of misses. Like the one that started this thread. All driven by his racism.

Vipam has had more correct predictions then wrong predictions and some several posters thought was way off the wall. While I don't agree with everything he post the guy know more concerning track and field than many posters who are here to irrate other posters.

Termz Nconditions wrote:

For Vipam to remark about this board dripping with racism is hilarious since it's well known he's the biggest racist here. Bar none.

I don't agree. I can find hundreds of comments on this site about the current President of the United States that are far more racist than anything that I've ever read from VIPAM. But I expect better from VIPAM than I expect from birthers and crackers with names like "NObama" who express the view that an extraordinarily gifted man is nothing more than a teleprompter-reading monkey. So I'm disappointed when VIPAM makes statements like the one that started this thread.

Racism exisits and it surely exisits on this board in many posts and threads. The people who say they are offended by the thread are the very same ones who post racists remarks and religiously pick anyone caucasin over non-caucasin. There have been at least a hundred threads that was removed in 2009 with racist overtones so why wouldn't the poll reflect some of the very same? Kudos for V-man!

gwalkerruns wrote:

I think it is perfectly reasonable to pick the guy with the faster pr and the younger runner....However, I am predicting that Boston will limit the Kenyan contingent to increase the chance for an American to win. Seemed like very few were at NY for some reason.

What kind of ultra-crack are you on? NY was loaded, and most of the best runners just tanked. F'ing idiot you are.